Web 2.0 - Over and Out — Many of us in the VC community have been quietly wondering about the state of Web 2.0 innovation. We aren't seeing much. Startup activity remains strong, but the consumer web landscape seems to be populated with the same bodies with different skins.

BUBBLE: Alexa error triggers crisis of confidence — Web 2.0 may indeed be waning as a meme, as Crosslink Capital's Peter Rip suggests. Technology evangelists and journalists have probably vented all there is to say about dynamic web pages and online social behavior, the two key ingredients of this round of internet projects.

Looking back at three years of Web 2.0 investing — Almost three years ago, I left the fund I was a general partner of and decided to switch my investment focus from mid-stage enterprise software to (very) early stage consumer Internet. Dotcoms as they were, since the Web 2.0 meme had not been cornered yet.

MySpace Restrictions Upset Some Users — Some users of MySpace feel as if their space is being invaded. — MySpace, the Web's largest social network, has gradually been imposing limits on the software tools that users can embed in their pages, like music and video players that also deliver advertising or enable transactions.

Palm Deal in the Final Stretch — A Palm Inc. buyout could be finalized by Thursday this week, demanding $20 or more per share, according to sources close to the situation. Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK - message board) is seen as the leading vendor bidder; while Palm's management is said to prefer a private equity buyer.

Pay-per-action beta test — Is there a specific action on your site that you want visitors to complete? Do you know how much that action is worth to your business? If so, you may be interested in our pay-per-action beta test. Here's Rob K., Product Manager for Pay-Per-Action, to tell us more:

John W. Backus, 82, Fortran Developer, Dies — John W. Backus, who assembled and led the I.B.M. team that created Fortran, the first widely used programming language, which helped open the door to modern computing, died on Saturday at his home in Ashland, Ore. He was 82.

Apple's next-generation iMacs to add a touch of grace — AppleInsider has learned that Apple's popular line of iMac personal computers are about to undergo a substantial facelift that will showcase striking new industrial designs aimed at leaving both competitors and onlookers smitten.

Google Personal Homepage Gets Skinnable — When I think of Google, I think of a site with a relentlessly consistent—and ultimately mundane—look and feel. Which is why a fairly minor new Google feature—dynamic themes (aka skins) for the Google Personalized Homepage—is worthy of comment here.

Who exactly wrote the first blog — Someone, somewhere created the very first Web log. It's just not quite clear who. — It may not be one of the Internet's grandest accomplishments, but with the number of active bloggers hovering somewhere around 100 million, according to one estimate …

Virtual worlds are 'worth $1bn' — Millions of people are flocking to inhabit virtual online worlds, says research by analysts Screen Digest. — The market for massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) in the West is now worth more than $1bn (£511m)

GPS navigation plan to help blind — Age & disability correspondent, BBC News website — An Italian technology company is pioneering a GPS satellite system that will give blind people greater independence and mobility. — The Easy Walk service has been developed by Il Village, a firm in Turin in northern Italy.